Tip-forming device for billiard-cues and the like.



M. BOHLIG.

TIP FORMING DEVICE FOR BILLIARD CUES AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.27,1913.

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Patented J an. 5, 1915.

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MARTIN BOHLIG, OF ST. PAUL, MTNNESOTA;

TIP-FORMING DEVICE FOR BILLIARD-CUES AND THE LIKE;

Application filed March 27, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN BOHLIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in TipForming Devices for Billiard-Cues and the like, of which the follow is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tip forming devices for billiard cues of the class illustrated and described in my applications for patents filed June 10th, 1912, Serial No. 702,736 and January 16th, 1913, Serial No. 742,415.

Its object is to supply an improved tool of this kind provided with cutting means and with gripping and centering mechanism for securing and fixing a billiard cue in position with respect to the cutting means, said means being adapted to cut the cue positively and uniformly and to be automatically stopped to limit and finish the cut.

For the above purposes, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete device, a billiard cue secured within the tool being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a detail central sectional view of the upper portion thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail central sectional view of the lower portion thereof; Fig. 1 is a detail central sectional view illustrating the stop mechanism and part of the feeding mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the top of the device, the handle being partly broken away, and Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate respectively a side elevation and a plan view of certain parts of the supplementary centering mechanism.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference letter A to indicate the base which consists of a crown plate 10, formed with a projecting flange 11 thereon, a base plate 12 and posts 13 joining said plates 10 and 12. The crown plate 10 is perforated at its center, the inner periphery of said perforation forming an annular beveled shoulder 14. The base plate 12 is formed with a central threaded bore 15 to receive the nut 16 which is formed with a central opening 17 therein. The sleeve 18, beveled internally at its upper Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 757,080.

edge to form the annular shoulder 19, is carried by said nut 16.

The tubular grip B is formed with staggered slots 20 alternating from the opposite ends thereof and extending nearly its entire length to form a flexible and resilient gripping medium. Beveled annular heads 21 are formed near the ends of said grip, one of said heads being designed to bear against the beveled shoulder 14 of the crown plate 10, while the other is adapted to impinge against the beveled annular shoulder 19 of the sleeve 18. The nut 16 in said base plate engages the sleeve 18 and when turned advances said sleeve and compresses the grip B throughout its entire length or permits the return of said sleeve and the expansion of said grip.

The carriage G is movable upon the base A and consists essentially of a bearing plate 22 formed with a central bearing 23 and a supporting flange 24 projecting therefrom, a guide ring 25 and posts 26 joining the bearing plate and guide ring. These posts 26 are slidable longitudinally in the crown plate 10 of the base A and said guide ring 25 is perforated to slidably receive the posts 13 of said base.

The head D comprises a hollow plug 27, an internally and externally threaded sleeve 28, blade holder 29, blade 30 and other parts to be hereinafter described. The hollow plug 27 is ournaled in the bearing 23 of the carriage C and is provided at its lower end with a flange 31 separated from said bearing 23 by a plurality of ball bearings 32, said bearings being adapted to receive the end thrust of the head. The sleeve 28 is threaded on this plug as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The blade holder 29 consists of a centrally apertured disk 33 provided with an extension 34. This extension is threaded within the sleeve 28 and said holder is secured in that relation by the lock ring 35 which is threaded on the upper portion of said sleeve. The outer periphery of the disk 33 is grooved at 36 to receive the curved handle 37, one end of which projects within said groove and is pivotally attached to said head by the pin 38. A portion of the upper face of the blade holder 29 is cut away to receive the blade holding bar 39 and form therewith a slideway for the cutting blade 30. The inner edge of the bar 39 and the edge 10 of said slideway are beveled inwardly to receive the beveled ed into the holder and is formed with an annular shoulder 1 1 adapted to turn in the notch 45 of the blade 80 for adjusting the same longitudinally. A graduated scale 16 is stamped into the face of said holder for f accurately determining the position of the blade 30.

It is thus seen thatthe base A slidably supports the carriage upon which the head D, carrying the cutting blade 30, is revolubly mounted. Driving mechanism actuated from said head and operatively connecting said base and carriage to positively and uniformly advance the carriage upon the base, is provided together with means I incorporated therein for automatically stopping the movement of the carriage during continued revolution of the head. The drive gear 47, threaded on the plug 27 in the head 1), meshes with and turns the clutch driven gear as, which motion is transmitted to the clutch driving gear 19, (as will be hereinafter described,) said gear *9 being in mesh with the driven gear 50 on the threadedshaft or screw 51 journaled in the flange 2 1 of the carriage C. This screw passes through the flange 11 of the base A and through the adjustable nut 52. The latter consists of an internally threaded base 53 secured by pins 54 to the lower side of the flange 11, said base being perforated to receive the screw 51. A threaded cap 55, having an internally beveled shoulder 56, is fitted in said base and supports the split cone 57, said cone being formed with a. centrally threaded bore to receive the screw 51 and with a slideway 58 at its base to receive the ends of the pins 54 which form stops to prevent the rotation of the cone. The coiled spring 59, seated within the inner periphery of the bore in said cone, acts to separate the cone members and disengage the same from the screw 51 when the cap 55 is unscrewedv from the position shown in Fig. 1.

In employing the mechanism heretofore described, it is evident that continued revolution of the head D would cause movement of the carriage C upon the base A until the guide ring 25 of said carriage engages the plate 12 on the base A when further rotation of the head would damage the device, if no safety mechanism were provided. It will be seen, however, that continued revolution of the head is necessary to finish the cut of a tenon or a cut in surfacing the end of a cue and to accomplish these things, I have arranged a clutch mechanism between the drive gear 17 on the head D and the driven gear 50 on the screw 51. This clutch mechanism is renderedinoperative when the carriage reaches its limit of movement. The

counter shaft 60, revoluble in the bearing 61 on the flange 24, is supplied with the above mentioned gear A9 which meshes with the driven gear 50 on the screw 51 and is also provided with a driven clutch member (32. The clutch driving member 63, revoluble upon said shaft and also the upper face of said bearing 61 receives said driven member 62 and is formed with the driven gear i8 above mentioned, which meshes with the drive gear 17 on the head D. '1 he spring 61, coiled around the lower end of the counter shaft 60, impinges at its ends against the washers 65, one of which abuts against the flange 24 and the other against the bottom of the cylindrical casing 615. This casing incloses said spring and is formed with a notch 67 at its upper edge to receive the stop pin 68 in the flange 2-1, whereby rotation of the same is prevented. T he nut 6%), threaded on the end of the shaft (50, retains the casing 66 in position and is set to obtain the desired frictional contact between the drive and driven clutch members 62 and (53. The barrel 70, screwed into the flange 11 of the base A, receives the sleeve (36, and the base of said barrel forms a stop 71 against which the end of the shaft (it) strikes as the carriage reaches the end of its working stroke. This contact removes the clutch driving member 62 from its seat 72 in the driven member 63 against the action of the spring 64 and permits the free rotation of the driven clutch member 63 and head D. A relatively light spring 7 3 may be interposed between the members 62 and 63 of the clutch to assist in unclutching the parts.

In forming the ends of billiard cues, it is often found that the cue has become warped or crooked and the grip B which firmly secures and accurately centers a straight one within the device fails in so centering a crooked cue. A supplementary centering device, adjacent to the cutting blade, is provided for accurately centering the end of a crooked cue with respect to the cutting blade. Reference now being had to Figs. 2, G and 7, it will be seen that the lower edge of the threaded projection 31 of the blade holder 29 is beveled internally to form an annular shoulder 74:. A corresponding annular shoulder 75 is also formed by the internally bevelled face of the washer 76. This washer, slidable within the sleeve 28, beneath the sleeve shoulder H of the holder 29, is formed with lugs 77 adapted to move in ways or slots 78 in said sleeve. The hand nut 79, threaded at its lower end on the sleeve 28 and slidable at its other end on the holder locking ring 85, is formed with an annular shoulder 80 designed to contact beneath the lugs 77 of the Washer 76 and raise said washer or permit the lowering thereof. A plurality of spaced balls 81 are located between the shoulders Tet and 75 and when the washer 7 6 is raised by turning the nut 79, said balls are moved simultaneously and radially to engage and center the cue. The ball cage 82, which consists of a perforated sleeve 83 and projecting flanges 8i thereon, is mounted at its base in the sleeve "28 of the head and at its top in the holder 29. This cage retains the balls 81 in their spaced position as the hand nut 79 is raised or the head D turned.

It is apparent that different cutting blades may be used to form larger or smaller tenons on a billiard cue or to surface or trim the tip thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In practice, when forming the tip of a straight cue, the nut 79 on the head D is lowered and the use of the supplementary centering device eliminated. The cap 55 on the flange 11 of the base A. is turned to disengage the threaded cone 57 from the screw 51 and permit longitudinal movement of the carriage C on the base A. The carriage is then set by reversing the turn of the cap 55 to fix the length of the cut. This position may be accurately determined by locating the guide ring 25 on the desired mark of the graduated scale 85 engraved in the post 13 of the base A. The grip B is relaxed by loosening the nut 16 on the, base A to receive a cue, the end of which is moved to position adjacent to the cutting blade 30. The nut 16 is then tightened to compress the grip from end to end thereby firmly securing and centering the cue within the tool. The handle 37 is turned and the carriage C advanced by the screw 51. as it passes through said threaded cone 57 on the base. This movement shifts the head to keep pace with the cutting blade until the counter shaft 60 strikes the stop 71 in the barrel when the clutch members 62 and 63 are disengaged, thus permitting continued rota tion of the head to accurately finish the cut and stop the movement of the carriage upon the base without straining or damaging the feeding mechanism.

hen it is desired to form the tip of a warped cue, the operation is identical with that above described except that the end of the one is first centered with respect to the blade by turning the nut 79 on the head D a sufiicient distance to accurately aline the end of the one before the grip B is set. It will be noticed that with the use of the blade illustrated, the application of the centering device is unnecessary after the cut is started.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of two members joined together in sliding relation, a grip within one member to secure an object, a cutting blade revolubly mounted upon. the other member and means carried by said last mentioned member for center ing said object.

2. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of a base, a head slidably and revolubly supported on said base, a cutting blade on the head, a grip within the base for securing and centering an article to be machined, a supplementary centering device within the head, and feeding mechanism in operative connection with said head and base for advancing the former upon the latter to apply said blade.

3. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of abase, a carriage slidable on said base, a head revoluble on said carriage, a cutting blade on the head, a grip within the base for securing and centering an article to be machined, a screw revolubly secured in the carriage and in threaded engagement with said base for positively and uniformly advancing the car riage upon the base, a clutch comprising a driving and a driven member, gearing operatively connecting said driving member and head, gearing operatively connecting said driven member and screw, said clutch members being adapted to be disengaged by the contact of one of said members with the base to thereby discontinue the operation of the screw.

4. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of a base, a carriage slidable on said base, a head revoluble on said carriage, a cutting blade on the head, a grip within the base for securing and centering an article to be machined, a screw revolubly secured in the carriage, an adjustable nut in the base for engaging and releasing the thread ofthe screw, said screw being adapted to advance the carriage upon said base, a clutch on said carriage comprising a driving and driven member, said driven member being in operative connection with said head and the driving member in like connection with said screw, a spring for normally engaging said clutch members and a stop for disengaging the same to discontinue the operation of the screw.

5. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of a base, a head slidably and revolubly supported on said base, a cutting blade on the head, a grip within the base for securing and centering an article to be machined, feeding mechanism in operative connection with said head and base for positively and uniformly advancing the former upon the latter to apply said blade, and a centering device within the head comprising a plurality of balls, a cage for loosely retaining said balls in position and means for simultaneously shifting said balls toward the center.

6. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, thecombination "of' a base, a carriage slidable longitudinally on said base, a sleeve revoluble on thecarriage, a blade holder on the sleeve formed with an internally beveled annular shoulder, a washer slidable in said sleeve and formed with an internally beveledannular shoulder, a plurality of ballsbetween said. shoulders, acage for loosely retainingsaid balls in position and a nut for moving said Washer to shift said balls, a blade on said head, and means for advancing the carriage upon the base to apply said blade.

7. In a tip forming device forbilliard cues and the like, the combination of a base, a carriage slidable on said base, a head revoluble on said carriage, a cutting blade onthe head, a grip Within the base for securing and centering" an article to be machined, a screw revolubly secured in the carriage, an adjust-able nut in the base for engaging and releasing the threads of the screw, said screw being adapted to advance the carriage upon said base, and a clutchmounted on said carriage, one member thereof being in operativeconnection with said head and the otheriwith said screw, said clutch members being adapted to be disengaged by the contact of one of said members with the base tothereby discontinue the operation of the screw.

"8. In a tip forming device for billiard cues and the like, the combination of a base, a headslidably and revolubly supported on said base, a cutting blade on the head, a grip within the base for securing and centering a cue to be machined, feeding mechanism in operative connection with said head and base for advancing the former upon the latter, a plurality of centering elements withinvthe head, and means for supporting and simultaneously moving said elements.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to' this specification in the presence of two-subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN BOHLIG.

Witnesses:

F. M. HARDY, F. O. CASWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

